Infographic: Apple's Rise to #1

Steve Jobs is arguably one of the most successful CEOs ever. Apple's stock price has climbed from a little over $5 in December 1996 to more than $350 this month and it's hard to imagine Apple without him at the helm. But that wasn't always the case. Jobs was ousted as CEO of the company back in 1984 only to return 12 years later.

Jobs is still on a medical leave of absence that was granted back in mid-January, but COO Tim Cook told investors last week that his boss hopes to "return to his full-time role at Apple 'as soon as he can,'" according to EconMatters' Dian L. Chu. With Jobs preparing for his return to the director's seat and the first authorized biography of the CEO due out next year, EconMatters put together an infographic documenting Jobs' influence on Apple.

Here, some of our favorite facts and figures from the infographic:

12 days after Apple was founded, Ronald Wayne sold his stake in the company to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak for only $800. Today, his share would be worth about $22 billion.

The Apple II was responsible for $1 million in sales per year in 1977. Today, the MacBook series generated $1 million in sales every month.

In December of 1980 Apple stock was worth $4.428 per share.

An Apple Macintosh in 1984 was sold for $2,495.

$2,495 worth of Apple stock in 1984 would be worth $1.87 million today.

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